Plastic Surgery Issues for Kids and Teens Boston MA

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Issues for parents to consider

If you’re a parent who wants your child to avoid the stigma of these issues, you may be open to having whatever concerns your child has surgically corrected. You need to be particularly sensitive to your child’s own desires and dig deep to find the real problem. Foisting a surgical procedure on an immature young person (even for his benefit) is a recipe for disaster. It’s best if your child or teen expresses the desire first. Then you want to be sure he or she is engaged every step of the way and fully understands what is involved before, during, and after the surgery. The child also needs to fully understand and be realistic about outcomes. If you’re considering helping your teen through this process, ask your child for his or her opinion and then listen carefully to his or her responses.

You need to be careful when deciding upon surgery for a teenager. Teens are still growing, so their bodies continue to develop and, in some cases, develop a lot. Hormonal activity continues to shift. Maturity and clear-headedness about expectations are other issues to consider. You need to be cautious when choosing a surgeon. You’ll want someone who is sensitive to these issues and develops rapport with your child or teenager.

More than for any other age group, if you are considering cosmetic surgery for your child or teen, you want to consult with several qualified surgeons and be sure that everyone agrees about the best course for your child.

Teen plastic surgery statistics

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, patients 18 or younger had the following procedures in 2003:

Chemical peel: 126,327

Microdermabrasion: 74,722

Nose reshaping: 42,515

Ear surgery: 15,973

Botox injections: 5,606

Collagen injections: 4,094

Sclerotherapy: 4,002

Breast augmentation: 3,841

Male breast reduction*: 3,033

Liposuction: 3,017

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For Dummies is a registered trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.

Milton Pediatric Associates

617-724-0924
15 Parkman St
Boston, MA